Mendon-Upton School Committee considers vacation changes to calendar

The Mendon-Upton Regional School Committee decided to seek further options on vacations on the school calendar.

The committee at its meeting Monday night continued its discussion from a previous meeting, in which the high number of snow days taken so far led to talks about the calendar.

Superintendent Joseph Maruszczak gave a report on a survey on the topic given to district parents and staff. He said there was no consensus on any proposed solution (eliminating February break; having a one-week break in March instead of the February and April breaks; or having students attend school three days during the February vacation week), but there was agreement that a change is needed.

"People don’t have namby-pamby opinions on this – there are some really strong opinions on both sides," he said. "Some folks felt that February break came way too quickly after the holidays, that it’s hard to get a rhythm or flow in instruction.

"Some felt that, with the added pressures of high-stakes testing, kids need to be kids," he added.

The possibility of using the district-provided iPads to deliver instruction during inclement weather was raised, but Maruszczak said the state would not count that toward the 180-day requirement.

School Committee member Liana Moore said she was in favor of ending February break.

"From the parents I spoke to, it didn’t seem to be as much a snow day issue as recognition that it may be an antiquated practice," she said. "I think we need to discuss and decide this as a school committee sooner rather than later."

Others, though, said they favored more study on the matter.

"What I got over the last week and a half was the exact opposite," said Chairman Phil De Zutter. "People asked, ‘What’s the big deal?’ and, ‘Why look at vacations and not the calendar in totality?’"

Committee member Diane Duncan said she wanted to get more data about how calendar changes would affect student instruction.

"I think the way to start the conversation is: what is the ideal date to get out of school?" she said. "I think eliminating the break could create a lot of issues."

The committee agreed to solicit ideas for smaller changes for the 2014-2015 school year, with an eye toward making larger changes in the 2015-2016 year.